REVISITING ROGER By Richard Pagliaro
At the end of his historic 2004 season, a 23-year-old Roger Federer addressed the United Nations—and sat down with us for this interview. Roger Federer had spent much of the 2004 season dazzling the tennis world when he arrived in New York City to address the United Nations.
Ogi, the UN Special Adviser on Sport for Development and Peace, who patiently answered my questions and revealed he too was a Federer fan.
Shortly before Federer stepped on stage alongside UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to address the United Nations in November, 2004, he sat down with us in a conference room for an interview. Federer discussed his role as spokesman for the International Year of Sport and Physical Education and a superb season in which he won all 11 finals he contested becoming the first man since Mats Wilander in 1988 to capture three Grand Slam titles in one season.
Clad completely in black — black silk shirt, black jacket, black slacks and black shoes polished to such a sparkling sheen he could have shaved in their reflection — a relaxed Federer smiled frequently throughout the interview.There was no entourage. Federer did not even have a coach at that time and had not yet adopted the “RF” branding to his on-court apparel. Still sporting a ponytail, Federer was engaging and expressive throughout.
It was the only time I ever recall interviewing Federer where he wasn’t the most important global player in the room. That distinction belonged to the third man in the room, former Swiss President Adolf 30 2015 WIMBLEDON PREVIEW
Here’s an excerpt from our 2004 interview at the United Nations.